Field-based studies of soils in California ecosystems, away from campus, with travel throughout much of California. Emphasis on description and classification of soils; relationships among soils, vegetation, geology, and climate; physical, chemical, and biological processes active in soils and landscapes; and the role of soils in land use. The course is approximately three weeks in length each summer, and alternates annually between northern and southern California. The class may be repeated once to allow a broad perspective of soils and landscapes throughout California. Thayer Scholarship